TOWIE’s Lauren Pope: ‘Dan Edgar isn’t the most vocal about his feelings’

How does it feel to be back on TOWIE, Lauren?
Well, I only did one day of filming and then I’ve had three months off! It was really good fun – we don’t properly start filming until August. There’s me, Chloe [Sims] and Gemma [Collins] who are all the same age and we all enjoy the same things.

Who are you worried about bumping into?
Actually, no one. One of the reasons I left before was that I wasn’t enjoying it because I wasn’t close to anyone on the show. Now that me and Chloe are back to how we were before, it’ll be great. Diags is single now – not that he was boring before, but I think he’ll have more fun. It’ll be a good trip.

Chloe has said she’s glad you’re back. How did you make up with her after you had a falling-out over Mario Falcone?
I was out drunk one night and I texted her. There were a load of us talking about stories and she was involved in a lot of them. I thought it was sad we were missing out on fun times. I just don’t think you should hold a grudge for too long. We have a lot of fun.

Lauren always has good hair!

You two seem like the mature ones on the show…
I wouldn’t say we’re mature. When we’re together we’re a nightmare, especially on a night out – we’re disgusting! We just get so drunk, but it’s fun. Especially on crazy nights out when we’re up until six in the morning.

Mario’s engaged now. How did that make you feel?
I know! It’s so sweet and she [Becky Miesner] seems lovely. I only know her through seeing her on his Instagram, but she looks like she’s got banter and jokes. I’m happy for him.

Will it last, or will Mario always be a player?
I don’t think he’s the player everyone makes out. I think she’s his ‘one’.

Lauren and Dan lock lips on TOWIE

Has Dan Edgar been in touch after you said you’d like him to be your baby daddy?
I spoke to him last night. He knows that’s a joke – it’s not a serious quote. My humour is quite dry and sarcastic. When I was asked about the age gap I said: ‘Well, it works for Cheryl [Tweedy] and Liam [Payne].’ Dan knows not to take any of that seriously.

Is he the ideal man for you?
I don’t know. It’s hard to tell.

Will you make a play for him on this series of TOWIE?
I don’t consciously think I’m going to get with Dan on the show. I just think that when you spend time together filming things naturally happen because you’re spending more time with that person. I like hanging out with Dan and he’s a good-looking guy. He ticks a lot of boxes.

Are you not looking at him as a long-term prospect, then?
I’m not one of these people who plans, unless it’s to do with work. I never go into anything thinking: ‘This is my husband.’ I think that’s a dangerous way to do things. I get why you can feel overexcited about someone, but you get burnt over the years and realise not everything is as glitzy as it is when you first get with someone. So I’m just realistic about things.

So you wouldn’t get together with someone on TOWIE just for the sake of it?
No. It’s weird – when you’re in that bubble everything’s intensified. You’re spending every single day with someone you might not find attractive in week one. But by week three, because you spend so much time with them you start having feelings for these people because you see them in a different light.

If Dan asked you out, what would you say?
I don’t know. I can’t imagine Dan ever having that conversation. He’s not really a very vocal person in terms of his feelings.

Would you have to do the chasing, then?
No. Are you mad?! You’re putting too much pressure on it. If it happens it happens and I wouldn’t want to jeopardise our friendship, so I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to get with Dan on holiday.

Is family and marriage something you even want?
Definitely. I think you can be a businesswoman and have a family, but I won’t lower my standards – I’m not talking about Dan here – just so I can have a family and a boyfriend.

Your other TOWIE pal Vas J Morgan is doing so well in the limelight. Does he include you in his A-list life?
I’ve been to parties with him. If we’re out together and they’re there, of course he introduces me – he’s not going to leave me standing there. I don’t really party as much as I used to, so I don’t see him as much now because he goes out every night.

What’s the wildest party you’ve been to with him?
He’s taken me to some very cool parties. In LA, after the Grammys we went to a house in the Hollywood Hills and Robbie Williams was there. I was the biggest Take That fan ever, so I had to try so hard to retain my coolness. Robbie came over and asked me how my DJing was going. I was like: ‘Oh my God, he knows who I am and knows I exist!’

What’s the deal with Vas’s best friend Chloe Green and ex-convict Jeremy Meeks?
Mad, isn’t it? I’ve met her a couple of times. I didn’t really get to know her that well. She’s just a friend of a friend.

Do you think they make a good couple?
He’s very good-looking, but he has a wife and kids.

Your friend Lauren Goodger has said she feels under pressure to be super-slim after comments from trolls…
She looks great. She has a beautiful face and body. I follow her on Snapchat and I know she’s in the gym a lot and eating a healthy diet. She’s healthy and that’s all that matters.

The TOWIE lot back in the day

What do you think of her claim that she had to leave Essex restaurant Sheesh on Mark Wright’s say-so?
I think that was really mean and also unprofessional of the restaurant [Sheesh denies the claim]. To have someone thrown out of a restaurant is very dramatic. Chill out. It’s very strange and there’s a lot of history there, so you never know what’s gone on. Lauren’s a human being too. She isn’t a horrible person.

Do comments about your appearance hurt you?
I don’t give a shit. I used to, a lot, but as I grow older the only opinions I care for are my family and close friends. I know I’m a good person and if people want to say I’m plastic, I am. I’ve had Botox and lip fillers before. I believe in doing what makes you happy.

Do you regret having surgery?
I’ve actually had smaller implants put in as I didn’t like the look of my old ones. I got them six years ago – I think I got overexcited and got them slightly too big. They were so big they’d pop out the sides of my vest and it looked trashy because my back’s so tiny. I felt like I’ve done so many things to improve my life and that was one I didn’t like, so I thought I’d change it. I’m glad I did it.

Lauren’s currently celebrating the 10th birthday of Hair Rehab London with the launch of the new Luxe Weft Collection, available now at hairrehablondon.com